LOS ANGELES — Viking has taken delivery of its newest ship for the Nile River, the Viking Sobek.
The 82-guest ship was officially welcomed into Viking’s growing fleet for the Nile during a delivery ceremony last week at Massara shipyard in Cairo. An identical sister ship to the Viking Osiris, the Viking Aton and the Viking Hathor, the Viking Sobek accommodates 82 guests in 41 staterooms and features several aspects already familiar to Viking guests, including a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace.
Other ships in the Egypt fleet include the Viking Ra and the MS Antares. Viking plans to welcome four additional ships in the next two years: the Viking Amun and the Viking Thoth in 2025, and the Viking Sekhmet and the Viking Ptah in 2026. This will bring the company’s fleet to 10 vessels in total on the Nile River.
“We are proud to welcome the Viking Sobek to our award-winning fleet. IN our view, these identical sister ships are by far the most elegant vessels on the Nile,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “Egypt has always been a destination of great interest among our guests, and demand for these voyages continues to be strong. With the arrival of the Viking Sobek, we look forward to introducing even more curious travellers to the country’s rich history and fascinating cultural treasures.”
The Viking Sobek will sail Viking’s popular 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, which begins with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo during which guests will visit such iconic sites as the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. Guests will then fly to Luxor where they will visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding a Viking river ship for an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River featuring visits to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings. They will also enjoy excursions to the Temple of Khnum in Esna, the Dendera Temple complex in Qena, the temples at Abu Simbel and the High Dam in Aswan, plus visit a Nubian village and a traditional elementary school. The journey concludes with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city.
For guests looking to extend their time in Egypt, Viking also offers pre- and post-extensions that provide privileged access to archives and exhibits. For example, those on the five-day British Collections of Ancient Egypt extension will begin their journey in London where they will meet their Viking Tour Director, an expert Egyptologist, and enjoy privileged access to two museums: the Egyptian Collection at the British Museum and the home and personal museum of architect Sir John Soane. Other highlights include visits to London’s Petrie Museum, the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, and Highclere Castle where guests will view the Earl of Carnarvon’s private collection of Egyptian artifacts.
For more information go to www.viking.com.
